Best Office Chair Mat Review

If you are looking for the best office chair mat you came to the right place. Whether you are buying one for your home or business office, we have you covered. This article is packed with hours of research and reviews of the best office chair mat. An office chair mat is essential in protecting your carpet or hard surface floor (including hardwood, laminate, linoleum, vinyl, or tile) from the damaging effects your chair creates by rolling across it each day. An office chair mat is worth the small investment that will save you big bucks down the road from floor damage and repair!

The following topics will be covered in this office chair mat buyers guide:

Why Buy an Office Chair Mat?

Buying an office chair mat will help protect your floor. Investing in a relatively inexpensive office chair mat is much cheaper than the future cost of making repairs or replacing your floor. Below are a few of the top reasons to purchase an office chair mat.

Repair / replacement cost. Replacing carpet or repairing a hardwood floor is expensive. Chairs with wheels can seriously damage hardwood floors and even rip up chunks of carpet. Rolling an office chair across a hardwood floor can lead to scratches and eventually will wear the lacquer off the wood. Many flooring manufacturers will void their warranty for damage caused by rolling chairs or other movable furniture.

Cleaning cost. A floor mat can protect your carpet from drink spills and soiling from the bottom of your shoes.

Increases the lifespan of your floor. Using a floor mat can significantly increase the lifespan of your floor. They can help prevent damage and decrease overall wear and tear.

Mobility. Office chair mats allow for easier mobility around your space. No matter which way you are rolling, it takes less effort on a floor mat. Rolling on an office chair mat is similar to rolling on a hardwood floor. You can move around freely, but they are rigid enough to prevent unintentional sliding.

Office Chair Mat Side by Side Comparison Chart

The chart below is a side by side comparison of the most popular brands and models of office chair mats.

Best Chair Mat for Carpet – Floortex Cleartex Ultimat Review

The best office chair mat for carpet is the Floortex Cleartex Ultimat. The main reason for choosing the Floortex Ultimat for the best chair mat for carpet is due to its strength and durability. It comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes to meet your needs. This floor mat can be used on either carpet or hard surface floors (including hardwood floors) depending on the type of backing you choose – spikes for carpet or smooth for hardwood. See the comparison chart above to select the correct mat for your floor. If you have carpet flooring, you would need the model with grippers on the back and for hardwood floors you need the mat with the smooth backing. This floor mat is completely transparent which means you can still see the floor underneath. This floor mat comes in a several different styles including a rectangular shape with a lip, contoured, and cornered. The lip on the rectangular shaped mat will extend under your desk to protect the area where your feet sit. The contoured and cornered floor mats are more stylish.

Some of the things we liked about this floor mat include:

High quality material. This floor mat is made of high quality polycarbonate material. It will not to crack, curl, or discolor over time.

Built to last. It will last years longer than a cheaper plastic floor mat. The polycarbonate mat is not susceptible to wear and tear like its plastic counterpart. It is very hard, but not brittle. The hardness of the material also makes for a good rolling surface on carpet.

Supports a heavy weight person. It will support a heavier chair and/or heavier person. Even if you weigh 200 – 300+ lbs, the floor mat is strong enough to support this weight.

Durability. The floor mat is stronger and more durable. When rolling a chair across the mat you will not notice any indentations and the wheels glide easily across the surface.

Will not slip and slide. The mat has a rigid surface texture which keeps the wheels in place while sitting at your desk working. Since it takes a bit of effort to move your desk chair, you will not be sliding around on the mat. On the spiked carpet model, the grippers on the bottom are about ⅛ inch long and are spaced about 1¼ inch apart from each other.

Transparent. This floor mat is almost completely clear. It looks very neat, organized and is not tacky like plastic mats. You will hardly know it’s there and can still enjoy your floor without the eyesore.

Odorless. The polycarbonate material it is made out of is odorless.

Shipping. The floor mat is shipped flat. It will arrive between two large sheets of cardboard. There is no unrolling and waiting for the curls flatten out. With an item this size, it is nice to have it delivered right to your door rather than having to pick it up at an office supply store.

Lifetime warranty. Floortex, the manufacturer, guarantees these floor mats not to crack, chip, break or shatter with normal usage. If you have any problems, send a picture to Floortex and request a replacement – their email address is customerservice@floortex.com.

Important note: If you are buying a floor mat for a carpet floor, it is worth spending a few extra dollars to buy a stronger, higher quality mat. Unlike the Floortex Ultimat, the majority of mats out there are not sturdy enough to be used on deeper pile carpet. The wheels will sink down. An exception may be low profile carpet. You can skimp on the price a little if you are buying for a hard surface floor (hardwood, laminate, tile, etc), but for carpet, make sure you buy a floor mat that is sturdy enough hold your weight without the wheels sinking down and indenting. The polycarbonate Floortex Ultimat works well for carpet floors.

Best Chair Mat for Hard Floors – ProSource Clear Multitask Floor Mat

The best chair mat for hard floors is the ProSource Clear Multitask floor mat. This office chair mat is made of PVC, more commonly known as vinyl. It is almost completely clear with a very light frosting. It reminds me of a glass floor mat, except not as thick or strong.

It is smooth on one side and embossed on the other. The embossed side is the top of the mat and the smooth side is the bottom. A smooth bottom mat is what you want to look for when buying a chair mat for hard floors. The chair mats with spikes (or grippers) on the bottom are designed for carpet and will damage hardwood floors! It is also worth mentioning that the bottom is not sticky which makes it appropriate for use on laminate floors as well.

It is slightly cheaper than our top pick, the Floortex Ultimat. You can get by with a slightly lesser quality chair mat for hard floors as opposed to carpet. Since hard floors are solid, the wheels of your computer chair will not sink down into the floor mat. This means a thinner floor mat is less likely to crack on a hardwood or other hard surface floor.

The floor mat will arrive rolled up. It should flatten out on its own, but if not put it out in the sun for a few hours. You can also use a hair dryer to heat it if there is an edge curled up.

Please note that this mat is made of vinyl and vinyl has an odor. This mat may have a vinyl odor once removing it from the box. This probably isn’t an issue for most people, but just something to be aware of. The smell should be gone within a few days.

Overall, the ProSource Multitask mat is a great option for a chair mat for hard floors. At this price, it is hard to beat which makes this chair mat for hard floors the best value.

Tips for Choosing the Best Office Chair Mat

Below are a few tips and guidelines to follow when purchasing an office chair mat:

Style. Choose the correct style based on your floor type. If you have a carpet floor, buy an office chair mat with grippers, or spikes, which will prevent the floor mat from sliding. If you have a hard surface floor including hardwood, you need a floor mat with a smooth back. Grippers on the bottom of the floor mat will damage hardwood floors!

Thickness. Be sure to choose the correct thickness based on your floor type. For hard floors a thinner mat will work ok, but the taller, or deeper pile the carpet (such as plush or shag) the thicker floor mat you will need so the chair wheels do not sink down in the carpet. Please see the section below regarding the recommended thickness by floor type for more information.

Shape. Choose the right shape. You will want a floor mat that is large enough for the space you need. You will also want one large enough to prevent rolling over the edges. If you have a corner desk, you may want to order a floor mat with a corner shape.

Weight considerations. If you are a heavier person, go with a polycarbonate chair mat. They are stronger than a typical plastic mat and will not crack as easily, especially if you have carpet flooring.

Anti-slip backing. If your hard floor has a high gloss finish (some hardwood, vinyl, linoleum, tile, etc), choose a floor mat that has a water based anti-slip backing. Glossy floors tend to be slippery so you will need one with an anti-slip backing.

Supporting pad. Consider using a carpet pad underneath, especially if you have a plush or deep pile carpet. This will stabilize the floor mat preventing the office chair wheels from sinking.

Price. When choosing an office chair mat you will want to avoid cheaper mats with a retail price under $20 because they will typically start cracking after several months.

What Does Pile Mean for Carpet?

This article has made several references to carpet pile. Carpet pile is the actual fiber attached to the carpet backing. When you walk across carpet, the part your feet come in contact with is the pile.

The pile of carpet you have determines the thickness of office chair mat you should buy. The thicker the pile of your carpet the heavier the chair mat you will need. This is because a flimsy office chair mat on plush carpet will make the wheels sink down into the floor mat and may cause it to crack. Polycarbonate mats are recommended on any carpet above a low pile.

Business offices generally have low pile carpeting because there is a significant amount of foot traffic and general soiling.

Deep pile carpet is carpet that has longer fibers. It is thicker style of carpet. An example of deep pile carpeting is plush or shag carpet.

Recommended Office Chair Mat Thickness by Floor Type

Below is a chart outlining the different types of floors and what type of office chair mat you need.

Floor Type

Material

Bottom Surface

Thickness

Hard Floors (hardwood, vinyl, linoleum, tile)

Vinyl or Polycarbonate

Smooth

0.08”

Carpet - Low Pile (

Vinyl or Polycarbonate

Spiked

0.09”

Carpet - Standard Pile (

Vinyl or Polycarbonate

Spiked

0.09”

Carpet - Medium Pile (

Polycarbonate

Spiked

0.11”

Carpet - Deep or Plush Pile (>¾”)

Polycarbonate

Spiked

0.11”

Floor Covering Clause in House or Apartment Lease Agreement

If you rent a house or apartment, check your lease to see if there is a clause requiring some type of floor covering for moveable furniture. An office chair would certainly fall under this category. The reason many landlords include this clause is due to the damage an office chair can cause to a floor over time. Any damage may be deducted from your security deposit.

For the landlords out there, it may be a good idea to go ahead and provide an office chair mat to your tenant if you know they will be using an office chair. At a relatively low price, buying an office chair mat may be a better option than dealing with the hassle of collecting on the damage and making repairs to your floor.

Caring for Your Office Chair Mat

As with any other piece of furniture, your office chair mat needs the proper care. Below are a few best practices to care for and use your office chair mat.

Do not use metal wheels on a floor mat.

Wash with warm soapy water using a sponge or rag.

Use a polycarbonate floor mat on carpeted floors greater than ⅜” thick. Plastic and vinyl floor mats are not strong enough to keep the wheels from indenting on deeper pile carpets.

Do not use a vinyl office chair mat on tile with deep or wide grooves. Cracking may occur as the wheels move across the grooves. For tile with deep grooves, buy a polycarbonate office chair mat.

Conclusion

We hope you found this article about office chair mats informative. If you have any questions please leave us a comment below. Once again, we are recommending the Floortex Ultimat as the best chair mat for carpet floors and the ProSource Clear Multitask chair mat for hard floors. Enjoy!